Shoulder pad



Aug. 23, 1 927.

H. B. LATINA SHOULDER PAD Filed May 4, 1925 Patented Aug. 23, 1927.: i

A I T'A-TE 'rrAnnY is. L TI A; onuAsT,s1 .-LouIs, rLnrNoIs As'sI noa T0 RAWLINGS Menu} uaorunrlvq COMPANY;1or, sr noursymlssounn A' (JD'KPORA ION OFMIYESSQUBIZ i snounnnnirhnl v Application nledllkay 4,

- 'This invention relatcsto shoulder pa s a a trons A together-without departingfi om the such as are used by tfoot ball players (hie object ofimy invention is to provide a shoulder pad in which the shoulderv caps are connected with thetwo;mainsections of the padin such a-manner that theyare free toinove forwardly and rearwardly; relatively to said main sections in circular paths, and

thus not interfere with or restrict the move ments of the users shoulderin the operation of making a forward pass.in theggameof "toot ball. V i. V

Another-object of my invention s to pros vide a shoulder pad in which theimain sec-i tionsoiithe padithat protect the bony prom ess on the users shoulders are equ pped with] a novel means for effectively absorbingjblows and shocks imposed on said mainsectionse; when the" pad is in use. Qtherob ectS and desirable features of my anx entmmwill be.

, hereinafter pointed Y out. v

tional- View, illustrating a shoulder pad constructed in accordance with my'invention, arranged in operative positionon the shoulders of the user.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of-one of the two main sections of the pathllustrat ng the shock absorbing meanson the underside of. said section, and'showing'how the shoul wv der cap of said section isjc'onnected With sameyand v Figure 3' 1s a longitudinal sectional view i of one of the main sections ofthe pad and its co-ope'ratingi shoulder cap.

:Referring tothe drawings which illustrate thepreferred form of myinvention, A desighates the two main sections of the'pad which are shaped so that they can be arrangedon the shoulders of the user; as shown :in Figure Land whichfare'j constructedso-.that

withstanding severe blows or shocks. I have herein illustrated the sections A as be1ng retained in operative position on the users shoulders by, connecting straps thatere detachably connected to said main, sections A by ball and socket fasteners 2,vbut any 2 Figure 1 of the drawings'is, ai i'ron l a r move in circularpaths, and accordingly, said shoulder caps interfered with and restricted 'joints.

19 25 semi. no; 27,77 1 I other means can be, used for' ijoinin g the secsoirit of my invention,

" The shoulder caps 13' of the pad which are r r also constructedin ther'form of substantially rigid; or, members shaped so as to con-' form appronin atelyto the tips. of the'users 'tionsA ot theipad in such 'a way that they are ,free'ztogoscillate forwardlyand rear-- shoulder-si are; connected to-the, m'ainsecparts tog'etheriby Iacings that permit the V sh ouId er ic'aps r01 headj uste'd inwardly and outwardly; and also forwardly-fend grearwar dlyrelativelyvto the main' sections of the pad, but in] such prior shoulder padsthe shoulder caps; were not tree to oscillatefor the free novementof theusers shoulder. in the operation "of usingjthe arm .to throw a ball.'-. In mypimproved shoulder pad the" shoulder ,capsIB are; capable of'practically a uniyersalmovement relatively to the main SGCtlQIlSj-A of the pad,'namely, they are free to ,swing upwardly and downwardly in a vertical, direction, they are @free' to swing forwardly andrearwardly and they are also free to oscillate forwardly and rea rw-ardly ,in circular paths similarfto the element'sof a' ball and socket] joint, the concaved end portions of the main sections A of the pad constituting the sockets and the convexed shoulder caps B constituting the balls of the Various means canbe used forlelfecting such a connection between'the shoulder caps Band theseCtiOns'A ofthe pad, butjLprefer. tolc'onnect each oftheishoulderjeaps' B to its co-operating section A by a member C 'thate'xtends inwardly from th inner end of the-shoulder cap and which is'pivotally connected at 3to the underside of the' section A at apoint' adjacent the longitudinal center of said section and in comparatively close proximity to the inner curved edge 4 of the section. The member C'is formed of leather or someother suitable material that. is pliable or flexible and the shoulder cap B is secured to the outer end of the memberC l'io pivot 3 and also tie):

to throw a balh particularly in the operation ct making a forward pass, the memler C which carries tle' cap B that covers tue tip of the users shoulder will turn on its suticicntly to peri'nit the cap B to rotate 'toinard y, and thus not intertere with the movement of the users arm or shoulder. in other words, in my improved shoulder IS-.Cl' the convened shoulder caps B that are held down snugly on the tips of the users shoulders are free to revolve slightly in the concaved portions of the main sections A. ot the pad which lap over said caps, strict the movement of the users shoulder and accordingly, do not rein the operation o't' throwing a ball. The

pivotal connections between the extensions r the main G on the shoulder caps B and the main sec tions A or the pad may be formed by ball and socket fasteners, and if desired, said extensions can be lined on their underside-s with pieces of felt 7. V

7 in the conventional shoulder pad used by foot ball players the main sections of the pad are padded on their under sides so to prevent said sections, which are stiff and rigid, from injuring the users shoulders in the event said sect ons are subjected to severe blows or shocks. In my improved pad no such padding is used on the underside ol'" said main sections are equipped with shock absorbing devices that normally hold the sections A spaced away from the ur-fors shoulders, but which effectively absorb severe blows or shocks on said sections A. in the form of my invention herein illus trated the shock absorbing devices just referred to are formed by relatively wide strips of inelastic webbing 8 arranged transversely on the undersides of the main sections A of the pad in such a manner that when the pad is in operative position on the users shoulders, the devices 8 will contact sections A of the pad, but instead,"

'with the users shoulders and prevent the rigid top portions of the sections A from bearing upon the shoulders, the devices 8 extending transversely ot'the sections A at points below the inwardly-projecting extensions C on the shoulder caps that are pivotally connected at their inner ends to tllG'SGC- tions A, as shown more clearly in Figure 2.

In the event either section A of the pad is subjected to a severe blow or shocle the device 8 on the underside o'l' said section that bears upon the users shoulder will absorb the blow and prevent the top portion of: the section A from moving downwardly into engagement with the shoulder.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: T i

1 comprising sections shaped to fit over the users shoulders, shoulder caps, and flexible, inwardly projecting extensions on said caps pivotally connected to the underside of said sections at points adjacent the curved edges of said sections which surround tie users neclc 2, it shoulder pad for foot ball players, comprising main sections shaped to tit over the users shoulders, shoulder caps flexible members projecting inwardly from the innor ends oi said shoulder caps and connected to same by hinged joints, and means for detachably and pivotally connecting said fienible members to the underside of said sections.

i. A shoulder pad for foot ball playeis;

3; A shoulder pad for football players,

con'ip'rising' substantially rigid or inflexible sections that fit over the users shoulders shoulder caps provided with inwardly-projecting, flexible extensions that are pivotally connected to the underside of said sections at points adjacent the inner ends of said sections, means for holdingsaid caps in erement with the tips of the users shoulders;

and ubstantially inelastic elements arranged transversely on the underside of said sections at points below the inwardlyprojecting extensions on the shoulder caps and connected to said sections so as to form devices that will absorb shocks and blows to which said sections are subjected.

HARRY B. LATINA. 

